Deck shift control for a card punch



May 24, 1955 M. MAUL DECK SHIFT CONTROL FOR A CARD PUNCH Filed Oct. 27,1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 [I'll/entan- Michael Maul i v W May 24, 1955 M.MAUL 2,708,971 DECK SHIFT CONTROL FOR A CARD PUNCH Filed Oct. 27, 1952 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Michael Maul ATTY.

May 24, 1955 M. MAUL DECK SHIFT CONTRQL FOR A CARD PUNCH 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed Oct. 27, 1952 Nm mm mm Aw Inventor? Michael Maul United StatesPatent 9 DECK SHIFT CONTROL FOR A CARD PUNCH Michael Maul, Schwabach,near Nurnberg, Germany Application October 27, 1952, Serial No. 316,985

Claims priority, application Germany November 13, 1951 1 Claim. (Cl.164-112) In perforated record cards it is usual to provide a pluralityof superpositioned rows of perforated characters which are included inadjacent perforation columns. This arrangement is particularly desirableif hole combinations are used in order to obtain a utilization of thecard as far as possible with a favourable relation 4- of the width ofthe card to thelength of the same. The rows of perforation columns areknown as perforation decks.

Now, in punching machines having column by column perforation of thecards, the individual decks are punched one after the other. For thispurpose it is necessary that after the perforation of each deck the cardis again fed back by the card carriage to the starting position forperforation and in addition thereto the selection of the next deck mustbe effected by the deck selector device. Accordingly, in such knownmachines two separate manipulations are necessary upon deck change.

Now, according to the invention operation of the 1nachine of theindicated type is simplified. For this purpose the deck selecting deviceand the card feeding device are operatively connected to each other insuch manner that the return of the card to starting position forpunchingyand the deck selection are effected together. Accordingly onlya single manipulation is required to cause the return of the carriage tostarting position for perforation and to cause the deck change.Preferably however, the arrangement is made in such manner that also thecarriage return to starting position can be effected in a known mannerindependently of the deck selection or that the deck selection can beeffected independently of the carriage return to starting position.

It is of subordinate importance for the invention in which manner thedeck selection is effected. The deck selection can be effected in theone type of known machines by moving the card and a set of punchescommon to all decks deckwise relatively to each other. Such anarrangement wherein the set of punches is displaceable deckwiserelatively to the card is known from the German Patent 704,256. However,in the converse manner the card may be displaceable deckwise relativelyto the set of punches common to all decks, as is known from the GermanPatent 654,130. Moreover there is the possibility of providing for eachdeck a separate set of punches of which selectively only that setassociated with the desired deck, is selected for punching, as is thecase in the machine according to U. S. Patent 1,962,607. In all thesedevices the deck selection and the carriage return to home position maybe brought in operative connection with each other according to theinvention.

The manner of card feeding is also of subordinate importance for theinvention. A particularly desirable solution is obtained if upon keyactuation the card carriage is shifted step by step past the punchesagainst spring action in which case the card travels from its startingposition past the punches from the right to the 'ice left for punching.With such a construction of the card feed it is then possible todisengage the locking pawl for the card carriage upon deck shifting sothat the carriage will again run back under spring action to itsstarting position for perforation while at the same time deck shiftingis effected.

In another type of card shifting, as frequently used the operation isreversed. Upon key actuation the card is fed by spring action by meansof an escapement mechanism. column by column from the right to the left.With this arrangement the return of the carriage from the left handinserting position to the right hand starting position for perforationmay be operatively connected to the deck displacing device in amechanical manner so that the displacement work for the deck shifting isderived from the carriage return. The deck displacement can be elfectedin a known manner by displacing the card with respect to the set ofpunches or by moving the set of punches relatively to the card.

As will be realized from the foregoing the inventive idea may be carriedinto practice in various ways. Some embodiments are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings essentially diagrammatically:

Fig. 1 shows the embodiment wherein upon key actuation the card isdisplaced electromagnetically against spring action from the right tothe left past the set of punches. In this case the set of punches iscommon to all decks and can be displaced by a deck shifting deviceselectively upon one of the two decks. Since the control for the punchesby the keys as well as the deck shifting are known in essential partsfrom the German Patent 704,256 mentioned above, this portion of themachine is not illustrated in detail.

Figs. 2 and 3 show an embodiment wherein carriage shifting is etfectedin a similar manner as in Fig. 1. For each deck, however, a separate setof punches is provided of which each one may be selectively renderedeffective by deck shifting means. The parts of the machine relatingthereto are however, not illustrated in detail since they are knownessentially from the'above mentioned U. S. Patent 1,962,607.

Figs. 4 to 6 finally show a further embodiment which is distinguishedfrom the preceding ones essentially in that another type of card feed isprovided. In this case the card is fed manually by means of the carriageto the right hand starting position for perforation and runs column bycolumn to the left under spring action, and

. under control of a key actuated escapement mechanisr The deviceaccording to the invention is constructed in such a manner that, uponthe manually effected movement of the carriage from the left to theright, the drive for the deck adjusting means, which latter isoperatively connected to the card carriage, is derived from the'movement of the latter. The displacement is effected in this instanceby displacing the card relatively to the set of punches common to alldecks as already known from the above mentioned German Patent 654,130.The punching device and its control by the key board are also known fromthis patent and are therefore also not illustrated in detail. Instead ofmoving the card with respect to the set of punches, however, whenemploying the carriage shifting means according to Fig. 4 the set ofpunches could equally well be moved with respect to the card as is thecase in the German Patent 704,256 and as has also been assumed in theembodiment according to Fig. 1.

Further preferred features of the invention will be seen from thespecification and the claims. 4

The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 is based in its essential parts onthe construction of a punching machine according to German Patent704,256. Differing there.- from however is the displacing of the cardcarriage the & latter being moved in the embodiment by a step by stepshifting mechanism, actuated by the magnet 11.

If a character key 12, of which in Fig. 1 only a single one isillustrated, is depressed it will encounter the translator bars 13 (ofwhich also only one is shown) by means of which the punches 14 areselected in a known man ner for the perforation. The key 12 however alsoengages the common bar 15 which is depressed downward. The latteractuates the contact 16 which closes the current circuit through themagnet 11 so that the same will be energized and will attract itsarmature 17. The pawl 18 is mounted on the armature 1'7 and slides offthe pin 19 into the teeth of the card carriage 21 holding the card 22whereupon the pawl will take with it the card carriage for one step tothe left against tension of the spring 23. The locking pawl 24 willclick in this case into the next tooth of the card carriage 21.. If thekey 12 is again released the key and also the common bar 15 will returnto their home position. By this means the contact 16 and therefore thecurrent circuit through the magnet 11 will be interrupted. The armature17 will drop and will be drawn to the right by means of the spring 25.In this operation the pawl 18 will skip over the teeth and will beremoved from the same by the pin 19. In this manner the stepwiseshifting of the card to the left under the punches is effected until thecard has reached the left hand end position which is the insertionposition.

If now the lower deck is to be punched the set of punches must beadjusted upon the lower deck. This is effected by means of a handle 26on the shaft 27 and through the toothed segment 28. Simultaneously withthe displacing of the set of punches the cam 29, also fast on the shaft27, is rocked in counter-clockwise direction to the position indicatedby dotted lines. There- 5 by it will rock the lever 31 in clockwisedirection whereby the latter will remove the locking pawl 24 by means ofthe bar 32 from the teeth of the card carriage. Thereby the cardcarriage is released and will be drawn by spring 23 to the right intostarting position for perforation.

Fig. 2 shows the release of the carriage return for electrical deckselection. The manner of operation is only indicated in principle whilethe construction is similar as that of the punching machine described inthe U. S. Patent 1,962,607. The construction of the carriage shiftingmeans is just the same as in the embodiment described above and istherefore not explained in detail any more. Parts having the samefunction as described in Fig. l, are indicated by the same referencenumbers. Differing with respect to the first embodiment there isprovided for each deck a separate set of punches and punching magnet 35or 36. Depending upon the deck selection by means of a switch 37 eitherthe one or the other punching magnet is included in the current circuitof the machine. In order to ensure that punching can only be efiected ifthe shifting step of the carriage has been completed, there is providedthe contact 38 which is actuated by the armature 17 and closes thecurrent circuit to the punching magnets. The contact 38 is so adjustedthat it is closed only in the last moment of the armature movement andthe card carriage movement respectively.

If punching of one deck-has been completed and if a change to the otherdeck is to take place, the change to the other punching magnet iseffected by means of the shift lever 39. The shift lever 39 rocks thelever 41 downward which moves the locking pawl 24 from the teeth bymeans of bar 42 thereby releasing the card carriage which is drawn bythe spring 23 to the right into the starting position.

Figs. 4 to 6 show an embodiment of the invention for the usual carriageshifting whereinthe carriage is shifted step by step through anescapement mechanism and must be brought to starting position by hand.In this instance 4 the deck shifting is derived from the movement of thecarriage. The deck selection is effected by moving the card by means ofa frame past the fixed set of punches as is shown in the German Patent654,130.

Deck setting can be effected independently of the carriage movement bymeans of the crank 45 as described in the above mentioned patent. On theother hand it is possible to derive the deck adjustment from movement ofthe card carriage. Deck setting is effected by moving the frame 47 bymeans of gear 46 which can be moved by the crank 45 or the bevel gear59. The gear 46 engages the teeth of the frame 47. The card 48 is guidedin the frame 47 and is moved by the carriage 49 transversely of thecolumns. The carriage is shifted step by step by an escapement mechanismof a known type as described in the above mentioned patent.

The carriage 49 is brought by hand by means of handle 51 to startingposition for perforation. In front of the handle 51 there is a smallerhandle 52 which is rockably mounted on the carriage 49. If upon carriagereturn pressure is excited on the handle 52, its lip 53 will rockdownward and will temporarily close the contact 54. Depending upon theposition of the frame 47 one of the two clutch magnets 55 or 56 isenergized and will engage the bevel gear 57 or 58 into the teeth of thebevel gear 59. The movement of the carriage 49 is transferred to thebevel gears 57 and 58 by means of gear 61. One of these latter bevelgears drives the bevel gear 59 depending upon which clutch magnet isenergized. The bevel gear 59 is fast together with the gear 46 and thecrank 45 on the shaft and displaces by this means the frame 47.

The selection of the magnet and therewith the selection of the positionof the frame 47 is'eifected by the contacts 62, 63, 64 and 65. Dependingupon the position of the frame 47 it will actuate the contacts 62 and 63or 64 and 65. If for instance the set of punches is adjusted upon theupper deck, and if accordingly the frame 47 is in its lower position,the two contacts 62 and 63 are actuated, as shown in Fig. 5, the contact62 being closed and the contact 63 open. The contacts 64 and 65 on theother hand are not actuated so that the contact 65 is open and contact64 is closed. Now, if the carriage is moved by means of the handle 52 tothe right and the contact 54 is temporarily closed the clutch magnet 56will receive current through the two contacts 54 and 62 (Fig. 6). Theclutch magnet 56 is energized and engages the bevel gear 57. At the sametime it will close the contact 67 which establishes a holding circuit sothat the magnet 56 remains energized even if the contact 54 has openedagain. The magnet 56 will receive current through the two contacts 64and 67. Since now the bevel gear 57 engages the bevel gear 59 and sincethe card carriage 49 is moved to the right, the frame 47 is moved bygear 46 upward so that the lower deck passes under the punching device.By this means the contact 62 opens while the contact 63 is closed. Whenthe frame 47 has reached its upper end position it opens the contact 64and closes the contact 65. Thereby the holding circuit to the magnet 56through the two contacts 64 and 67 will be interrupted so that themagnet becomes deenergized and the bevel gear 57 will be disengaged fromthe bevel gear 59.

If punching of the lower deck has been completed and if now the carriageis again fed back to the right with a new card, the contact 54 willinstantaneously close and will now establish the current circuit to theclutch magnet 55 whereby the frame 47 will be again moved downward sothat the upper deck is set for perforation again. The magnet 55 willherein remain energized through contact 66 the latter being closed uponresponse of the magnet. In this instance the holding circuit isinterrupted by the contact 63.

I claim:

In a key actuated punching machine for multiple deck record cards, meansfor feeding the card upon key actuinitial position upon actuation of thedeck selecting ation column by column past punching means from an means.initial position to a terminal position, means for selecting any one ofsaid decks of said record cards for punch- References Cited m the fileof fins patent ing, said selecting means being movable in two opposite 5UNITED STATES PATENTS directions, and means controlled by said deckselecting 1,445,597 Kawamura Feb. 13, 1923 means independent of thedirection of the selecting move- 1,962,607 Maul June 12, 1934 ment forfeeding the card independently of its location 1,983,698 Kaufmann Dec.11, 1934 between said initial and said terminal position back to2,566,931 Cunningham et a1. Sept. 4, 1951

